Joint jigs

[Kent E. Matthew]

I have been researching joint jigs. From the JessEm Zip Slot Mortise Mill to the Leigh Frame Mortise and Tennon Jig. Price wise from one extreme to the other there has to be many possibilities in between.

What do you use?

[Peter Quinn]

Horizontal slot mortiser mostly. I used to use a plunge router with brass guide bushings and simple shop made templates. I like the mortiser better.

[Bill Huber]

I am using the Mortise Pal and really like it a lot.

There was a post just the other day about it.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=111598

[Kent E. Matthew]

Bill thank you. I knew there was a jig out there that worked with a plunge router. I just could not remember the name. How do you make the spline material? I checked out the video but that part was not covered.

[Bill Huber]

Bill thank you. I knew there was a jig out there that worked with a plunge router. I just could not remember the name. How do you make the spline material? I checked out the video but that part was not covered.

I just plane some wood down to the thickness I want then cut it to the wide I need. The last thing is to round the edges and I use the router table for that.

It really does not take much time and what I do is make a bunch at a time and I have them when I need them. Some have talked about using Domino and they work also if you get the right ones.

[Brad Townsend]

Just to add to what Bill has already said, I got a Mortise Pal a couple of weeks ago and made my first cabinet door frames with it this weekend. SWEET JIG!! It's kind of pricey, but I think it's going to be worth every penny. I made the splines just as Bill described and it was fast and easy to turn a board into a bunch of spines in about fifteen minutes. If you are willing to take a little more time using smaller boards to make the splines, it would be a great way to get rid of some of those scrap pieces you have cluttering up the shop.:D